Control device



May 19, 1936. B. A. BROWN ET AL CONTROL DEV I CE Filed June 4, 1934 2Sheets-Sheet l INVENTORS BERNARD A- aaown, CARL uxmm. AND ROBERT C.KESTLE BY WA, Wk 9% ATTORNEYS May 19, 1936. B BRQWN AL 2,041,161

CONTROL DEVICE Filed June 4, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 KNVENTORS BERNARD A.BROWN, CARL H. KIHDL ROBERT C. KESTLE.

%mw, Ma my ATTOR N EYS Patented May 19, 1936 STATES CONTROL DEVICEBernard A. Brown,

Kestle, Dayton, Ohio,

Carl E. Kindl, and Robert Cn assignors to Delco Products Division ofGeneral Motors Corporation, Dayton, Ohio, a corporation of DelawareApplication June 4, 1934, Serial No. 728,840 10 Claims. (01. 172-279)This invention relates to improvements in speed-responsive controldevices and particularly to such devices especially adapted for use incom nection with electric machines.

it is among the objects of the present inventicn to provide a speedresponsive control device of simple structure and design, properlybalanced and capable of operating substantially without noise.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a unitarystructure comprising a speed responsive control device and an aircirculeting device, both these devices heing so constructed arranged asto counterbalance each other.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description, reference being had to the accompany ingdrawings wherein a preferred embodiment of one form of the presentinvention is clearly shown.

in the drawings: I

Figure l is a perspective view of the automatic speed-responsiveswitch-aetu.ating mechanism and the air-circulating device for themotor.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the electric switch.

Figure 3 is a group of perspective views of the automatic switchcperating mechanism discs semhiecl.

t is a cross sectional view of the switch and the automatic controlmechanism therefor. In this view the control mechanism is shown innormal position.

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4, showing the switch-actuatingmechanism. in active posi- 35 ion...

Figure 6 is s. view taken substantially along the line 6--8 of Figure 5,showing the member which engages and actuates the switch.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 28 designates a fragment of therotor of the electric machine which may be of any standard constructionand, therefore, needs no detailed illustration or description. Thisrotor is provided with a shaft H by means of which the rotor isrotatably supported in the frame 22 of the motor, only a fragment ofwhich is shown in Figures 4 and 5.

Referring particularly to Figures 2, 4 and 5, the stationary contact 23is adapted to-be con- 0 nected to the stator winding of the motor,- notshown. This stationary contact 23 is normally engaged by a movablecontact 24, carried by the arm 25, which is pivotally secured to a pin26 secured in the end frame 22 of the motor. A spring 28, interposedbetween the arm and the frame 22 of the motor, yieldably urges the arm25 so that its contact 2 3 is moved out of en.- gagement'with thestationary contact 23. On the arm as there are provided rubbing blocks3t adapted to be engaged by a switch actuating, sleeve made ofinsulating material, which sleeve is slidably carried upon the rotorshaft 2i and is urged against the rubbing blocks Ell by a spring 33,interposed between a bracket at tached to shaft 2i, and the switchactuator 3i. Spring exerts sufdcient pressure upon arm 25 throughactuator sleeve 56 to overcome the effect of spring it upon said arm sothat normally spring maintains the arm 25 in a position as shown inFigure in which position the contact on arm it engages stationarycontact thus completing a circuit to the stator winding, not shown.

Bracket 36 has a tubular hub portion ti fitting upon the shaft 25 sothat said bracket is rotatahle therewith. As shown in Figure 3, thisbracket comprises a plurality of radially extending aims and &5. Arm 32of bracket is on one side of a plane passing through the axis of theshaft it, while arms it and 5 are on the opposite side of said plane.Arm &2 has a portion it formed at right angles to the arm t2, saidportion t6 having two singularly shaped, spaced tangs ti and to, eachproviding a v-shaped pocket in alignment, but spaced as shown in Figures1 and The member of the automatic control mechanism which is responsiveto centrifugal force for purposes of operating the switch actuator it isdesignated by the numeral This member has a plurality of tangs, two ofwhich, numbered 5i and 52, extend inwardly toward each other fromoppositely disposed arm portions 5-3 and respectively. These tangs 5iand 52 pivotally seat into the vi-shaped pockets it formed. in the tangs5's and 48 of braciret arm Q2. The arms tit and 5& of the member Bil,which member may he termed the governor weight for the purposes ofdescription, extend toward the axis of the shaft 26, the arms beinglocated on opposite sides of the center of the shaft, as shown in Figure3.. At the free ends of these arms inwardly extending flanges 55 areprovided, for purposes to be described. Member has two outwardlyextending arms 56 and 51 to which are secured springs 60 which yieldablyurge the governor weight into normal position, only one of the springsbeing shown in Figure 1, the other in the Figure 5. Another downwardlyextending tang ii on the member 50 extends into a longitudinal groove 62in the switch-actuating member 3| normally engaging the inner end wallsaid groove.

A resilient member ll is secured to the arm 42 by a rivet 13 passingthrough the openings 1| and 12 on the member III and bracket 34respectively'. This rivet has an enlarged head about which one end ofspring 33 fits so that dislodgment or disalignment oi the spring isprevented. A plurality of flexible tongues are provided on member II,the nrst, designated by the numeral Ii, being engaged by and forming acushioning element for the governor weight 50 when it is urged into anormal position under the effect 01 springs I. Figure 4 clearlyillustrates how the member ill engages this flexible tongue I! when innormal position. Two spaced flexible tongues ll of member I. engage thelower edges of tangs II and II oi the governor weight resilientlyholding them in pivotal engagement with the V- shaped pocket 4! o! tangs41 and 48 of the bracket 4!. Thus tongues 18 normally yieldably maintainthe governor weight in hinged engagement with the bracket arm 42. Twoother flexible tongues 11 are provided on the member 10 which, when saidmember is attached to bracket arm 42, are normally spaced from said armso that when the governor weight is thrown into active position, asshown in Figure 5, due to centriiugal i'orce, flanges 55 of arms 53 and54 of said governor weight, engage said flexible tongues 11, wherebythis movement of the weight is cushioned to prevent impact noises whichwould occur it the weight were permitted to engage solid parts.

Arms 43 and 45 01' the bracket 34 each have an angular portion I43 andI45, and arm 44 has a similar angular portion on each of its sides,these being designated by numerals I44 and I46 respectively. All ofthese angular portions provide vanes which set air in motion for thepurpose of cooling the motor. The arms 43, 44 and 45, plus their vanesI43, I44, I45 and I46 counterbalance the arm 42 of the bracket 34 andits automatic control mechanism. In order to provide a substantiallyperfect balance, certain of the arms have openings while others areprovided with counterbalancing weights 8|, as needed.

The device functions in the following manner: when the motor is at restthe control mechanism will assume the position as shown in Figure 4 inwhich contact 24 engages with contact 23 and the switch actuating memberSi is exerting a pressure upon the rubbing blocks 30 of arm 25 due tothe effect of spring 33. When the main circuit through the motor isclosed and it starts to rotate the mechanism will remain in normalposition until a predetermined speed of the rotor 20 is attained atwhich time the governor weight I, due to centrifugal force, will moveabout its pivotal tangs 5| and 52 in a counterclockwise direction asregards Figures 1, 4 and 5, until it has assumed a position as shown inFigure 5. Moving in counterclockwise direction against the spring 60,interposed between the weight 50 and the vanes I43 and I4! oi the arms43 and 45, causes tang 8|, which engages the switch actuator 3 I, tomove said actuator toward the right upon shaft 2|, as regards Figures 1,4 and 5, against the effect of spring 33. This permits spring 28 to movearm 25 so that its contact 24 is disengaged from contact I! thusbreaking the circuit through the stator winding, not shown. As theweight is moved counterclockwise, such movement sometime occurringrather suddenly, the portions 55 thereof engage with the flexibletongues 11 on the resilient member 10, thus this movement of the weightis combined and checked without any undue noises. As the rotor speed isreduced to a predetermined degree the spring 60 will overcome the eflectof the centrifugal force and move the weight 50 clockwise about itspivotal support and as it approaches its normal position, said weightwill engage the flexible tongue 15 of the resilient member 10, thus thereturn movement o the weight 50 is cushioned and impact noise issubstantially eliminated.

The flexible tongues 16 yieidably urge the tangs ii and 52 into thepivotal pockets 4! of the bracket tang portions 41 and 48, providingmeans which greatly facilitate quiet operation or the device andpermitting sufficient play between moving parts without aflecting theoperation thereoi.

From the aioregoing it may be seen that applicants have provided anautomatic control mechanism for an electric motor, of simple structureand design, for practically all of the parts are made from stampings.The details oi the construction permit easy assembly for substantiallyall moving parts of the entire mechanism are maintained in assembledposition by resilient means which, as has been mentioned before, tend toquiet operation inasmuch as free play may be had between the movingparts without permitting disengagement.

While the form of embodiment of the present :1

invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to beunderstood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within thescope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. A speed-responsive control device comprising in combination, arotatable member; speedresponsive means carried by said member only onone side of its axis and having an axis of movement substantiallyperpendicular to the axis oi the rotatable member; means adapted to beactuated by said speed-responsive means; air-circulating means securedto the rotatable member on the side of its axis opposite thespeed-responsive means, said air-circulating means also counterbalancingsaid speed-responsive means.

2. A speed-responsive control device comprising in combination, arotatable member; speed-responsive means adapted to move about a pivotand carried by said member only on one side 0! its I axis the axis ofsaid pivot being substantially perpendicular to the axis of said member;means adapted to be actuated by said speed-responsive means; fan bladessecured to the rotatable member on the side of its axis opposite thespeed-responsive means, said fan blades circulating air about therotatable member and providing counterbalancing means for thespeed-responsive means.

3. A speed-responsive control device comprising in combination, arotatable member; a centrifugal governor; means adapted to be actuatedby said governor; and air-circulating means secured to the rotatablemember, said air circulating means supporting the governor on one sideoi. the axis of the rotatable member and providing counterbalancingmeans for said governor on the opposite side of said members axis.

4. A speed-responsive control device comprising in combination, arotatable member; means ior circulating air about the rotatable member;a centrifugal governor; means adapted to be actuated by said governor; abracket attached to said membenhaving radially diverging arms, one ofwhich supports the governor on one side 0! the axis of the rotatablemember, the other providing counterbalances for the governor andsupporting said means for circulating air about the rotatable member.

5. A speed-responsive control device comprising in combination, arotatable member; a centrifugal governor having a speed responsiveelement; means adapted to be actuated by said governor, and a bracketattached to said member, having radially diverging arms, one of whichpivotally supports the speed-responsive element of the governor on oneside of the axis of the rotatable member, the others providingcounterbalances for the governor and having angular portions formingair-circulating fans.

6. A speed-responsive control device comprising in combination, arotatable member; a governor having a speed-responsive element pivotallyengaging said rotatable member; means adapted to be actuated by saidgovernor; and a resilient member yieldably holding said speedresponsiveelement in pivotal engagement with the rotatable member and providingcushioning stops for the speed-responsive element of the governor.

7. A speed-responsive control device comprising in combination, arotatable member; a governor having a speed-responsive element pivotallyengagingsaid rotatable member; means adapted to be actuated by saidgovernor; and a member having a plurality of resilient portions certainof which yieldably hold the speed-responsive element of the governor inpivotal engagement with the rotatable member, stops for thespeed-responsive means at each end of its travel.

8. A speed-responsive control device comprising in combination, arotatable member; a supporting member attached thereto; a governorhaving a speed-responsive element pivotally engaging said supportingmember; means adapted to be actuated by the governor; and means attachedto the supporting member and providing a others providing resilientplurality of flexible tangs, certain of which yieldably maintain thespeed-responsive element or the governor in pivotal engagement with thesupporting member, others providing resilient stops adapted to beengaged by the speed-responsive element at each end of its travel.

9. A speed-responsive control device comprising in combination, arotatable member; a

' bracket attached to said member and having radially diverging arms; agovernor having a speedresponsive element pivotally engaging one of saidarms; means adapted to be actuated by said governor; means attached tothe bracket arm supporting the speed-responsive element of the governor,said means having a plurality of flexible tongues, one of whichyieldably maintains the speed-responsive element in pivotal engagementwith the bracket arm, the others providing resilient cushioning stopsfor said element at each end of its travel; air-circulating meansprovided by the bracket arms members axis opposite the governorsupporting arm, said means also providing counterbalances for saidgovernor; and resilient means connected between the speed-responsiveelement and certain of the air-circulating means for yieldably urgingsaid element into normal position against one of the cushioning stops. i10. A speed-responsive control device comprising, in combination, arotatable member; a governor having a speed-responsive element movablewith respect to the rotatable member; means actuated by the governorupon movement thereof; a bracket having arms, one of which arms,supports the speed-responsive element, and another of which provides anair circulating fan; and resilient means biasing the speed-responsiveelement in one direction, said resilient means being anchored at one endto the air circulating fan.

BERNARD A. BROWN. CARL H. KINDL. ROBERT C. IUL'STLE'.

on the side of the rotatable

